Issued on: 10/11/2026 - 15:40Modified: 10/11/2026 - 16:32

Israel's new parliament prepares to be sworn in at the Knesset, on November 10, 2026. © Ronen Zvulun, Reuters

Israel's new parliament is set to be sworn in Tuesday with opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot aiming to build a coalition after receiving a mandate to form a government. It follows an election two weeks ago in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc lost ground. Follow our live coverage for the latest updates.

Eisenkot party proposes October 7 attacks probe

Gadi Eisenkot's party is moving to immediately set up a commission to investigate failures that allowed Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, a move long resisted by caretaker Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Eisenkot's Yashar party also said it was proposing a mass repeal of Netanyahu's controversial overhaul of the judiciary, which had triggered some of Israel's largest ever protests.

Knesset members to elect parliament speaker

Eisenkot's bloc says it has enough votes to install as parliament speaker Matan Kahana, a former senior military figure who clashed with ultra-Orthodox Jews during a past stint in government.

Arab-Israeli lawmakers said they would support Kahana, all but guaranteeing he will take the helm in the parliament.

Avigdor Liberman, a right-wing member of Eisenkot's bloc who has played a key role in deciding who can enter the government, is expected to be nominated as chair of the foreign affairs and defence committee.

Ben-Gvir heckles Arab party leader, calls him Hamas ally

Moments after those words from Herzog, the extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir heckled the head of the Arab-majority Joint List alliance as he was sworn in, shouting: "Who is he pledging allegiance to, Hamas?"

Herzog condemns racism in Knesset speech

President Herzog has condemned the "moral blemishes that wound (Israeli society's) beautiful face" in his speech opening the new parliament, Haaretz reports.

"There is no place for racism against anyone, and there is no place for violence (...) not in the hilltops of Judea and Samaria, not in the city streets, not in schools, nowhere, and it must be eradicated with all our strength," Herzog said, using the West Bank's biblical name.

He stressed that dealing with the issue begins in the Knesset, "which projects outward onto the Israeli street."

Analysis: Opposition's reluctance to work with Arab parties a 'self-imposed constraint'

A key obstacle for Eisenkot resides in a contradiction within the opposition itself, says Dahlia Scheindlin, Israeli political analyst, strategic consultant and pollster.

Determined to unseat Netanyahu, the opposition's leading figures remain deeply reluctant to cooperate with the Arab parties that could hand them a majority of seats, she explains.

Scheindlin calls this a "completely self-imposed constraint", questioning why those seeking political change continue to rule out partnerships that might make it possible.

For her, Jewish-Arab political cooperation is not merely a matter of coalition arithmetic but a fundamental question about Israel's democratic future.

The immediate outcome, Scheindlin suggests, may be either parliamentary stalemate or a structurally fragile minority government.

Click on the link below for the full interview.

Herzog calls on party chiefs to 'make concessions'

The Israeli president has urged party leaders to make compromises, amid uncertainty over whether any leader will manage to form a new government.

"I ask all of you to take a moment and listen... Extend a hand to make concessions, even between rivals," Isaac Herzog told the new parliament's 120 members ahead of their swearing-in. 

Israeli president opens first session of the 26th Knesset

President Isaac Herzog has opened the new session of Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

"I have the honour to open the first session of the 26th Knesset," said Herzog ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the parliament's 120 members.

It comes amid uncertainty over whether Eisenkot will be able to form a new government.

How the new Knesset can make Netanyahu's life difficult

The opposition hopes to use its newfound legislative power to move quickly on key priorities, including a commission to investigate security failures under Netanyahu that allowed the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

FRANCE 24's correspondent in Jerusalem Noga Tarnopolsky has more.

Welcome to our liveblog

Israel's new parliament prepares to be sworn in today, two weeks after an inconclusive election saw Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition lose its majority of seats.

Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has been tasked with forming a government and has vowed to quickly to cobble together a ruling coalition.